The present invention relates generally to games and puzzles and more particularly to a sliding shell mechanism for a hollow puzzle which provides for rotation of surfaces or shells of the hollow puzzle about circumferential bands. The surfaces or shells may be of various contours. The circumferential bands may be either exposed on the surface of the hollow puzzle or hidden within the surface of the hollow puzzle.
In recent years, puzzles such as the Rubik's cube have found commercial success. The Rubik's cube has been developed into different forms and produced in various shapes such as a prism, a pyramid and a globe. The Rubik's cube and its variants however suffer the disadvantage that the components thereof cannot be disassembled and the interiors thereof are not hollow.
Other known prior art puzzles also suffer these disadvantages. A spherical puzzle toy is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,836,584 and includes a spherical shell which consists of two semi-spherical shells turned on an axis relative to each other, a plurality of partition panels mounted around the spherical shell and defining three intersected tracks around the spherical base along the X, Y and Z axes, and a plurality of slides marked with different marks and moved in the intersected tracks, and wherein the intersected tracks are switched to one another to change the combination of the slides by turning the semi-spherical shells relative to each other. A first semi-spherical shell has a sleeve on an inside at a center thereof. A second semi-spherical shell has a split rod on an inside at a center thereof fitted into the sleeve of the first semi-spherical shell. This arrangement provides for rotation of the first semi-spherical shell relative to the second semi-spherical shell and occupies the interior of the spherical base.
Another spherical puzzle is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,566,941. The spherical puzzle has two types of surface members positioned around an inner support sphere, wherein the position of each surface member can be moved to the position of any like member. The device may be divided into three sets of opposing domes, with each set of opposing domes being separated by an equatorial band. Thus, both types of surface members can be repositioned by rotating the opposing domes. Further, the domes may be rotated in increments of ninety degrees, after which a different set of domes may be maneuvered. Although the puzzle includes a structure for complete disassembly and reassembly by the user, the inner support sphere does not provide for an accessible hollow interior portion.
A spherical mechanical puzzle is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,074,562 including a plurality of separately identifiable puzzle pieces that are hand manipulated over tracks formed in a spherical base member of the puzzle. Three continuous and mutually perpendicular equatorial tracks are formed in the surface of the puzzle base member dividing the base member into eight separate surface sections, each surface section having a different color. The plurality of puzzle pieces are mounted on the three tracks for sliding movement along the tracks, and each of the puzzle pieces is divided into four segments or two segments having identifying colors that correspond to the colors of the base member surface sections. The mechanical puzzle is solved by hand manipulating the puzzle pieces over the three tracks to positions on the tracks where each of the puzzle pieces is positioned adjacent surface sections having the same colors as the puzzle pieces. The base member does not provide for an accessible hollow interior portion.
There is therefore a need in the art for a sliding shell mechanism for a hollow puzzle that overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art. The sliding mechanism preferably provides for a puzzle that includes an accessible hollow space therewithin. The sliding mechanism preferably also provides for a puzzle that is capable of being disassembled. The sliding mechanism further preferably provides for a puzzle that can be reassembled.